by Eric Prisbell, USA TODAY Sports

by Eric Prisbell, USA TODAY Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant followed up a sensational Game 1 performance against the Memphis Grizzlies with an equally impressive effort for 46 minutes Tuesday.

Then came the final two minutes. And despite nearly recording a triple-double in Game 2, Durant was held in check in the last two minutes as the Grizzlies won, 99-93, at Chesapeake Energy Arena. They tied this best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series 1-1 with Game 3 in Memphis on Saturday.

Trailing by two points with just under two minutes to play, Durant closed the game by missing two three-point shots and watching Tony Allen steal the ball from him. Afterwards, the failure to come through down the stretch prompted questions about how much is too much for Durant to handle in the absence of injured point guard Russell Westbrook.

"He is an amazing player that brings it every night," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "He did everything he could possibly do. He rebounded 11 times. He had nine assists. He had 36 points â?¦ I can't complain with the effort he played with. He put us in position to win the game."

When asked if he is carrying too much of a burden, Durant said, "I can carry as much as coach needs me to carry."

But the night belonged to players like Mike Conley and Allen, both of whom had Game 1 performances they would rather forget. But as Durant stumbled down the stretch of Game 2, Conley excelled.

He gave his team the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:58 to play. He made an 18-footer with 1:04 to play to extend the lead to four points. And he sank one of two free throws with 29.4 seconds to play. Conley, one game after making five of 15 field goal attempts, finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

"Right now he is one of the top five point guards in the league no matter if anybody likes it or not," Allen said.

Allen was the other catalyst. Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins was hesitant to put Allen on Durant defensively in Game 1. But Allen found himself covering Durant in Game 2 because, as Allen put it, "I assume we just got desperate."

Though Durant thrived for most of the game, Allen got the key steal from Durant in the game's waning moments.

"Tony was huge for us tonight," Conley said. "When you call on him, he delivers. He had to guard one of the best players in the league. He did a good job throwing something different on him. He rattled him a little bit in different aspects of the game."

Until the game's final minute, there was virtually no separation between two teams that staged an entertaining and physical seven-game series two seasons ago. Game 2 in this series featured 27 lead changes and 12 ties.

Marc Gasol, who had 24 points, helped lead the Grizzlies early. And for the Thunder, Derek Fisher, who had an important late-game steal in Game 1, made a key contribution off the bench that was almost enough for the Thunder to eke out a victory.

Fisher, who scored 19 points in Game 2, scored 14 in his first nine minutes of action. He made three three-point shots within a two-minute span in the second quarter to keep the Thunder narrowly in front.

On one possession, Durant shot faked, took one dribble inside three-point line and flipped a pass to the corner for Fisher, who buried his second three-point attempt in the game. Soon after, Fisher then buried a high arcing 3-pointer over hand of Quincy Pondexter.

Memphis scored 30 of its first 56 points in the paint. And the Grizzlies took advantage of sloppy play by the Thunder throughout the first half. At one point in the second quarter, the Thunder had as many turnovers (six) as made field goals.

But in the final seconds of the third quarter, Durant threw down a resounding dunk and drew the foul. Amid chants of "M-V-P," Durant made the ensuing free throw, giving the Thunder a five-point advantage that appeared like a significant lead in a game that was tight throughout.

But the Thunder gave the Grizzlies too many second-chance opportunities. They allowed too many points off turnovers. And after Durant showcased his impressive skill set for 46 minutes, it was Conley and Allen who had their fingerprints all over this important win that evened the series.

"We can't put our heads down that we lost," Durant said. "Me as a leader, I always have to be positive."